


Redacted

by Solovei



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Canon Compliant, Drabble, Episode: s05e16 Doctor Bashir I Presume, Garak being his usual self, Julian is talked about at length but doesn't actually appear in person, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 00:58:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15425502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solovei/pseuds/Solovei
Summary: Dr. Zimmerman runs into yet another problem while interviewing Julian's friends and colleagues.





	Redacted

**Author's Note:**

> I thought it was a bit odd that Zimmerman didn't interview Garak of all people about Julian's personality, so I decided... maybe he did. We just never saw it.

“Computer, begin recording. Character interview for LMH Candidate Bashir. Interviewee - “ Zimmerman took a second look at his PADD, and then quirked an eyebrow at the somewhat portly Cardassian sitting across from him. “Garak?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Just... Garak?” He was of course aware that certain cultures only used one name, but this was going to wreak havoc on his interview data if he didn’t at least put _something_ in the other field. 

“Plain and simple Garak will do nicely, Doctor.” 

Zimmerman cleared his throat and put a series of x’s for the missing name. “Very well then. Please describe how you came to know Dr. Bashir.”

Garak smiled, somewhat wistfully. “Oh, it would’ve been about… five years ago, I’d say. You see, I was going to the Replimat for lunch, when across my field of vision came this… exquisite sight, this young Starfleet officer, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as you humans say, and well, there was nothing I could do but immediately--” 

The doctor held up his hand, and Garak stopped his soliloquy. Zimmerman hadn’t met many Cardassians; he wondered if they were all this dramatic. “That will do, thank you. How would you describe Dr. Bashir, his personality and character?”

“Oh, how does one describe the sky after a lifetime of darkness?” Garak replied, speaking with the banal tone of a man giving docking orders to a shuttle.

“Excuse me?”

The Cardassian gasped slightly at that point, his hand open as if in sudden revelation. “You know, I run a small tailor shop on the promenade, and if I may be so bold, I think I could help get that uniform of yours to a much smarter fit - one befitting a man of your clearly esteemed background.”

Zimmerman stared in shock for a few seconds, then tugged at his uniform in annoyance. “My uniform is _fine_ , thank you very much. Can we get back to the subject at hand?”

“Certainly. We were speaking of Julian, I believe?”

“You used his first name. You two are familiar?”

“Oh, we’ve been through many a misadventure together.” Garak said with a nod. 

“Would you… care to elaborate?”

“Not in the least, Doctor,” Garak said, and his blue eyes twinkled with something between joy and malice.

Something about this wasn’t adding up. This was not his first interview, and several of his other subjects have mentioned the close relationship between this Tailor and Dr. Bashir - but nobody seemed to divulge the _nature_ of that relationship. Zimmerman cleared his throat and decided to press further. 

“There are some on this station that would say you two are quite close. Are they correct?” He asked. 

Garak’s gaze had turned from jubilant to steely, “Well, everyone is correct some of the time.” 

“So you agree with them? You are close to Dr. Bashir?”

“I suppose that would depend on what one means by ‘close’, would it not?”

“Well, would you consider him a friend, or a colleague, or -” Zimmerman paused here, clearly intending to force his subject to say something useful. “ - a lover?”

Without missing a beat, Garak replied, “I would consider him.” 

“Excuse me?” 

Garak’s face shifted, brightening into a smile as he quietly pushed the chair back and stood. “I’m dreadfully sorry, Doctor, but I’m afraid this is all the time I can offer you for today. I’ve got an appointment for a wedding dress fitting in fifteen minutes, and my customer is _quite_ particular.”

“Wait, I--” Zimmerman protested in vain.

“My apologies. You know how it is! But should you need more information, my shop is quite easy to find! Goodbye now!” The Cardassian said on his way on the door. 

Zimmerman watched him disappear into the station’s crowds, equal parts exhausted and annoyed. He sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, then looked over the notes he had taken on his PADD.

“Computer. Delete recording.”


End file.
